Question:
Does the “I-THOUGHT” create the feeling that “we” are the doer?
Sri Prabhuji:
Who is doer ? For any action to happen body is needed. Is body doer ? Body is instrument for doing.
Is mind doer? Impressions – vasanas rise in the mind as thoughts resulting in action through body.
Is intellect doer ? Intellect decides to do some action based on thought. Intellect is driven by ego for decision making. Ego itself is dependant on memories of past and hopes of future. No memory, no ego. Memories of past are unreal.
In any action there are three aspects – doer-doing-deed. For example artist-painting-picture. If artist is fully involved in painting, then only painting (action) remains – artist and picture become one with the painting.
When does doer come ? Doer appears when painting (doing) ends. Using memory ego claims I am doer, this is my painting. Ego is doer. But ego was absent during action (painting). Ego is “claimer” of doership. Intellect accept the claim of the ego blindly and says “I am doer”. With proper enquiry, Intellect realizes that actions are happening because of vasana-thought-action-result-vasana. It is like a automatic program.
Who is doer then ?
Prakrateh kriyamanani – Bhagavadgita 3.27.
Nature- prakrati is responsible for actions. Prakriti is like a program. Intellect affected by ego “claims” that I am doer. Intellect+chidabhasa is jiva. Jiva in ignorance “claims” I am doer.
There is no doer. There is claim of doership by jiva (Ego). Thoughts rise, there is no thinker, actions happen there is no doer.
WHAT IS THIS “I-THOUGHT”?
1)Word and meaning: “Apple” is a word and meaning of “apple” indicates an object called apple.
2). Thought : Thought is a representation of object in mind. For example apple thought is a representation of physical apple. In other words, thought is name and form.
3). Name & form : Form keeps changing but name does not. For example variety of apples have different form. But name “apple” does not change. Hence Name = changing form+unchanging reality. Whatn is unchanging reality of any object ? Existence “Isness” is unchanging reality of everything. Existence cannot be seen. Existence is unchanging reality “SAT”.
4). Mithya (unreality) : Form keeps changing. What is changing is not real – mithya. Unchanging existence is real – SAT.
5). “I Thought” – I thought like any other thought has changing form + unchanging reality. Changing form is body, mind, intellect. Unchanging reality is Chit- Atma.
6). Confusion about I thought – Unlike an object thought, the I thought is about subject – SELF. I thought is a mixture of subject and object. = consciousness+matter. = chit+matter. People dont undertsant the reality of I thought is “conciousness – chit”. This is a terrible confusion. I am old, I am unhappy, I am unhappy is superimposed on consciousness which does not change. This confusion causes lot of suffering in life called “samsara”.
7).* Who am I ?* – I the consciousness is Brahman – pure awareness. Pure awareness manifests as Ishvara and jiva.
Brahman has no awareness of SELF or other. Hence there is no thought. When Brahman becomes aware of SELF, Brahman is called Ishvara. The I AM feeling is the first feeling – BRAHMAN is saying I exist. This feeling is the first feeling when we get up in the morning. This is called AHAM – ego. Brahman is SAT-CHIT-ANANDA. CHIT aspect of Brahman becomes aware of SAT. This is the beginning of maya. Subject called Brahman is recognized as object. ISHVARA or Universal mind has the first “reflection chidabhasa”
8). The other – I AM thought (AHAM) leads to next question what is there other than me. THIS thought IDAM appears. THIS thought is world which includes body, mind, intellect and objects of world. All this AHAM and IDAM are nothing but concepts in consciouness. The I AM identifies with one body and says I AM body. It is called Jiva. ISHVARA is collection of all jivas and objects of world.
9). Then what is this I thought ? I thought is really unchanging subject consciousness. It is chidabhasa – reflecte consciousness identified with the body + Individual consciousness (sakshi – witness) + Ishvara Sakhsi +Brahman. Please donot confuse that there are many entities called chidabhasa, Brahman, sakshi, Brahman etc. It is only viewing of one reality called Brahman from different functionalities.
10).Who am I – I am chidabahasa – reflected consciousnss identified with the body. In reality I am jiva Sakhsi which is nothting but Ishvara Sakshi which is nothing but Brahman. This understanding is called realization. Realization happens to conscious entity (chidabhasa+sakshi) using instrument called intellect. This realization is based on Viveka or discrimination only.
* Do not get confused by thoughts and names. All thoughts have changing part and unchanging part. Unchanging part is Brahman, changing part is “mithya – unreal”. AHAM or IDAM all are Brahman only. Brahman is the only reality.
You are that reality – TAT TWAM ASI – understand the real meaning of TAT and TWAM and be free.